Voting-machine



(No Model) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

1-. A. SUCK.

VOTING MACHINE.

No. 600,388. Patented Mar. 8,1898.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets8heet 2.

F. A. SUCK.

VOTING MACHINE.

Patented Mar. 8, 1898.

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- P. A. SUCK.

VOTING MACHINE.

Patented Mar. 8, 1898.

7 Q" N INVENTEI R. WITNEESE 5: m L 01M 4% t-i m\ 7 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

FREDERICK A. SUCK, OF BOSTON, MASSAOHUSETTS.

VOTING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,388, dated March 8, 1898.

Application filed February 6, 1897. Serial No. 622,270. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. SUCK, of Boston, (Jamaica Plain,) in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new an d useful Improvements in Voting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a voting-machine, and has for its object to provide certain improvements in machines of this class such as will appear in the following description and claims.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a partial front elevation of a voting-machine c0nstructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof with the back part of the casing removed to show portions of the underlying mechanism. Fig. 3 represents a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4: is a top view of one portion of the mechanism displayed in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the same portion after the votingbutton has been pressed. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the relation of the parts when the voting mechanism is locked. Fig. 7 is a section on line 7 7 of Fig. 4:. Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion of the mechanism displayed in Fig. 2. Fig. 9 shows in detail view one of the parts which will be hereinafter described. Fig. 10 is a view showing a portion of one end of the voting-machine, partly in elevation and partially in section. Fig. 11 is an enlarged view showing the front aspect of one of the registering-indexes.

The same letters and numerals of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In carrying out my invention I contemplate the use of a voting box or casing having a number of tiers of small panels, in which each panel corresponds to a candidate, the voting being accomplished by pressing a button alongside a candidates name, which actuates a registering mechanism and causes the vote to be directly registered on indexes which form part of the machine.

Referring to the drawings, (t represents the outside casing of the voting-machine, and a a represent the before -mentioned panels, which are arranged in vertical tiers, each of which may be devoted to a party-ticket or subdivided, as desired.

Z) I) represent the push buttons or pieces, by pressing which the vote for a candidate is accomplished. A train of notched wheels 0 o is arranged in a row behind each panel a and mounted on horizontal arbors c c, which are journaled in bearin gs formed in the walls of a suitable casing d. Each wheel is provided with ten notches in its circumference and is actuated one notch at a time by a complete rotation of its right-hand neighbor, as is common in a registering mechanism of this character, and each wheel bears on its arbor an index-disk c numbered from 1 to 10, one figure 011 each disk appearing through a row of openings a arranged in the casing at below the panel a. All the arbors 0, except that of the units or right-hand wheel, are further provided with ratchetwheels 0 having spring-pressed pawls which prevent backward motion of the registeringindexes.

The notched wheel bearing the units-disk is actuated by a StEt1*\Vll66l c, mounted on the arbor of a ratchet-wheel 6, arranged at right angles to the index-wheels c, the said ratchetwheel being in turn actuated by the pushpiece I), which is provided with a springpressed detent 1), adapted to engage a tooth of the ratchet-wheel 0 when the push-piece is pressed inwardly and to slide past the neighboring tooth when the push-piece b returns to its normal position.

12 Fig. 7, represents a small sheet-metal spring fixed to the shank of the push-piece Z) and adapted to yieldingly hold the detent b in its normal position, and 1) represents a bowed wire spring which is attached at one end to the push-piece Z) and presses with the other end on the farther wall of the casing d, tending by its tension to return the push-piece to its normal position when the same becomes disengaged from the lockin g mechanism about to be described.

The push-piece l1 extends through both the front and rear walls of the casing d and has bearings therein and is of such a length that its rear end is flush with the rear wall when the push-piece is in its normal or outward position. (Shown in Fig. 4.) Each time that the push-piece b is pressed inwardly its rear end displaces a catch f, which releases a sliding bolt 9, mounted at the back of the casing d, and allows the end of said bolt to enter an aperture 1/, formed in the push-piece near its rear end. This results in locking the pushpiece in its inward position, as shown in Fig. 5, and the said push-piece cannot again return to its normal position until the bolt is withdrawn. A spiral spring g encircles the bolt and projects it when released. If the catch f is raised by external means without pressing in the push-piece b, the bolt 9 is released and slides over the end of said push-piece so as to lock it in its outward position. The catch f is constructed with a horizontal arm or finger 1, extending over the rear end of the pushpiece and holding the bolt in check, a portion 2 at right angles forming an axis and a bearing for the catch and a rearwardly-proj ectin g portion 3 at right angles to the axis and constituting an arm by which the catch may be raised. Each catch is further provided with a suitable spring f.

If desirable, I may connect several consecutive catchesf by means of their axes, as shown in Fig. 9, and group the names of all the candidates for one OlllOQ in a vertical row, so that when a voter votes for one candidate of the group he locks the push-pieces of all the other candidates for that office and cannot recast his vote.

I provide means for withdrawing all of the bolts 9 simultaneously, the said means comprising a sliding frame 72, arranged at the back of the main casing to and. having crossbars h, adapted to engage the hooked ends 9 of the bolts, and mechanism for operating the sliding frame, consisting of a removable crank 7Z2, mounted outside the casing a and journaled in a suitable bearing or socket h a bevel gear 7L4, iixed to the shaft of the crank, a bevel-gear 7L5, meshing therewith, a dog 7L6, mounted to revolve with the gear 7L5, a stud 7L7, Fig. 2, mounted on an extension of the frame hand adapted to be engaged by the dog 75, and suitable bearings and supports for the last-recited mechanism. The two bevel-gears are of equal diameter, and when the handle 7L2 is turned through a revolution the frame is moved and the bolts drawn by the engagement of the dog 7t with the stud 7L7. Suitable guides are provided for the frame h and also spiral springs 7L8, connected with the casing a, which return the frame to its normal position when the stud 7L7 is released.

After a person has voted an official in charge of the machine turns the crank 72." and thereby releases all the push-buttons b which have been pressed by the voter, thus preparing the machine for the next voter.

Each time that the crank 7L2 is operated the frame It actuates a train of index-wheels 2' t connected with the said frame by a stud, (not shown,) a forked lever t, a lever e, and a pawl 2 the object of this index being to register the total vote on the machine. An independent panel (t is provided on the face of the machine to designate this index.

I further provide means for upsetting all the catches f and locking the whole voting mechanism, the said means consisting of a frame j, similar to the frame g and parallel therewith, having cross-bars], adapted to engage all the arms 3 and provided with an extension or bar j extending through the easing aand constituting a push-rod, by which the operator may displace the frame and the catches f. The end of this rod is mounted in the casing (t alongside the socket 7L3 and is protected from tampering by means of a sliding revoluble guard or cover 7t", having a single opening to receive the shank of the crank 7L2 orto disclose the push-rod when the crank is removed and the cover turned on its pivot.

In order to preserve the secrecy of the veting, I provide opaque hinged [laps d a adapted to cover all of the index-apertures (0 excepting the units-aperture, which is exposed to view in order to enable the voter to see if his vote has been registered.

The whole face of the voting-machine is preferably covered with a glass or other suitable transparent covering having holes in it, through which the push-buttons 1) project.

IVhen the voting is finished, the flaps a are lowered and the returns read directly from the machine by the authorized ol'licials, and the laborious method of counting ballots is dispensed with.

Besides giving quick returns my votingmachine possesses certain advantages over those machines which employ a ballot-sheet in that it offers no chance for dishonest practiees or mistakes in manipulating these sheets. An absolute register of the vote is kept on the machine itself, which maybe securely inclosed and locked, if necessary. The machine is compact and light enough to be easily transported and the number of neces sary attendants or oflicials would be greatly diminished by its use in elections.

While I prefer to employ a push-button for registering the vote, yet it will be understood that I may employ any other kind of a device for actuating the registering devices.

The double panel a Fig. 1, is designed to be used for an affirmative and negative vote on such questions as constitutional amendments.

The arbor c of the units index-wheel is represented in the drawings as having a squared outer end 0, which is adapted to receive a key or similar turning instrument for the purpose of setting the indexes at zero or any desired indication, and in practice I provide means for withdrawing the spring-detent b or otherwise allowing the indexes to be turned in this operation.

I claim- 1. A voting-machine comprising a series of registering devices, a push-button for each device having a transverse aperture, abolt ar- ICC said bolts simultaneously, either to lock said buttons or to release them.

2. A voting-machine comprising a series of registering devices, a push-button for each device having a transverse aperture, a bolt arranged to slide across the end of each button to prevent its being operated, and also to e11- ter the aperture in each button when said button is operated, anda member arranged in the path of each button to hold the bolt in its inoperative position.

3. A voting-machine comprising a series of registering devices each having a star-wheel, a push-button for imparting movement to each star-wheel, a spring-pressed bolt adapted to lock each push-button against being retracted after being once operated, and means normally holding each bolt in its inoperative position, and automatically operated by the push-button to release its bolt.

4. A voting-machine comprising a series of registering devices, a push-button for each device, a spring-pressed bolt adapted to lock each push-button against being retracted after being once operated, and also to lock it against being operated, means normally holding each bolt in its inoperative position and automatically operated by the push-button to release its bolt, and means for actuating all of said means simultaneously to lock the buttons from being actuated.

5. A voting-machine comprising a series of registering devices, a push-button for each registering device, a spring pressed bolt adapted to lock each button against being retracted after being once operated, means adapted to be automatically operated by each button to allow each bolt to lock its button, and means under the control of the oflicial in charge and operatable independently of any movements of the voter for simultaneously returning all the bolts to their inoperative positions.

6. A voting-machine comprisinga series of registering devices, a push-button for each registering device, a spring pressed bolt adapted to lock each button against being retracted after being once operated, means adapted to be automatically operated by each button to allow each bolt to look its button, means operatable independently of the movements of the voter for simultaneously returnin g all the bolts to their inoperative positions, and a device for registering the number of movements of the last said means.

7 A voting-machine comprising a series of registering devices, a push-button for each registering device, means for simultaneously locking all of said buttons against being operated, means for simultaneously releasing all of said buttons, and a device for preventing the actuation of one of said means when the other of said means is being actuated.

8. A voting-machine comprising a series of registering devices, a push-button for each registering device, means for simultaneously looking all of said buttons against being operated, means for simultaneously releasing all of said buttons, a handle for operating either of said means, and a guard for preventing access to one of said means when the handle is engaged with the other of said means.

9. A voting-machine, comprising a series of registering devices arranged in rows, a pushbutton for each device, a spring-pressed bolt arranged to lock each button either before it is operated or after it has been operated, and means actuated by any one of the buttons in each row for allowing the bolt to lock said button after it is operated and to permit the other bolts to simultaneously look all the other buttons in said row.

10. Avoting-machine,comprisingaseries of registering devices arranged in rows, a pushbutton for each device, a spring-pressed bolt arranged to look each button either before it is operated or after it has been operated, and a member f for each row arranged to hold all of the bolts in their inoperative positions, said member having a portion extending in front of each button, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 1st day of February, A. D. 1897.

FREDERICK A. SUCK.

Vitnesses:

A. D. HARRISON, P. W. PEZZETTI. 

